CoM. 3. Of takingGods i»anit by an Oath. Chap. 4, believed as the word of God, received asan Oracle, to be as true as the Gofpel; and therefore to ellablifh their credit, they confirm their words by oaths: for, as one laity, There is nothing that men defire fomuch, as that they make fo light of, to wit, their faith and credit ; for they make fhipwrackof it at every blow, by frequent oaths. They fwear that their credit maynot be lightly accompted of, when as by this means it comes to be lightly accompted of; Idea. leviter aftimant ne leviter tefi- mentur, f- 1c-uster aftimando, leviteraffirüantur. ç. Anti becaufe an ill habit in any thing is hard to be left, and Cullom being a fecund nature, and that as St. Ausuf ïne faith, Peccata quamvit magna & horrenda, cam to confue,:,dcnem venerint , aut parva effe, ant nulls creduntur; fins though great and fearful (as this fin of fwearing is) when they grow into cuflom, are reputed littleor none at all. We mull ftrive to nip them in thebud, not onely in our felves, but in our children : for it is with them as with a velfel, Quofemel eft imbuta recent fèrvabit odorem----tefa dm, as the Poet faith; and as CafJidore, Indigne tranfatta In Ep. adolefìentia odiofam eficitfeneUatem. 6. We fhould have ever in our remembrance,andfet before our eyes the great pu- nifhments and judgements (which are fo many vifible fermons fromGodhimfelf, none fo many and remarkable for the breach ofani other precept) which have been r Sam. i9. b: inflieled in all ages, for the breach of thisone Commandment : as Saul for attempt- ing to kill David contrary to his oath, was Painhimfelf: Zedehi.h for breaking his a chro.36. i s- oath of fealty to the Kingof Babel, had his eyes puld out, loft his kingdom, and was made a captive. The Prophet tells us, that the flying roui twenty cubits long, zach. 6. q: and ten cubts abroad, written full ofcutfes, [hall enter into the houfeof the fwearer, &c. and [hall confume it, &c. The fitth rule is concerning the fgnes of keeping this Commandment : And there may be taken from theconfideration of the Hebrew word - it mafah, here ufed to take up as a burden or heavy thing. Ifthe name of God be to us as a burden or a heavy thing, and fo taken up, it is a figne we are careful to keep this Command.. ment. As a. Every man will add no more to a burden then he can bear, he will make it no AFtr t 6 as heavier then needsmutt, nor take moreburden upon him then neceffity requires; fo if we take up the name of God as a burden, we will ufe it nooftner thenwe mutt of neceflity, we will come unwillingly to it as to a burden. 2. When one takes upáburden, he goes tó it with all his ftrength,ut beneferatur a Chro.rs, r$, onus, that hemay thebetter bear it, fo in anoath they fwear with all their heart, and all theirfoul, &c. all the parts and facultiesof the foul are occupiedand takenup; the underftanding with a due eflimation of the greatnefsofhim by whom we (wear ; the heart and affeftïons with a due fear and reverence ofhis Majefty, &c. thus the whole man is employed and takenup. 3. Thofethat areloaden with a burden, defire to be eafed and to beunladen, to be ridof the burden as loon astheycan; Chrift calls all that are heavy laden to come Mat. ir. se, tohim, and he will cafe them : fo ifwe defire to be eafedof this burden, as foon as may be, that is, when we have taken an oath, if we be careful to perform it, it is a figne we make confcience of an oath. David faith, I have fworn, and will Ka. t r y. toe: perform it, and the good than changeth not, thoughhe have fworn to his own is. 5. hinderance. 6. The fixt rule is concerning the drawingofothers to keep this Commandment, ofdrnwing ó As we mull not take the name of God in vain our felves, fo we muff not draw thew-0 keep othersto it. As a. Irritando, by provoking others to fwear. 'The Pfalmill fpeaks this law. of fome that do irritare nomen Dei, as the vulgar Latine reads it , provoke the name of God, That is provoke others to blafphcme it. When we know persons. vain glorious, or heady and impatient, and apt, to (wear, if we, provoke and flir them up, we do irritareñomenDei, we feem to,confent to their fin. i. By per- fwading others not to keep their oaths when they are taken, by giving falfe and fraudulent interpretations, and they did, who after an oathand covenant with Nebn- eladnezz4r, would have rebelled againfl him, and fent for help from Egypt; who Ezek. 7. are threatned for violating their oath, though it were unjuflly. impofed and ex- l7a tottedby an ufurper : shall he efcape? faith the Prophet, rThus much for an Oath: ii GHAFta
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